International consultancy for strategic advice on Emergency Preparedness and Response with a Focus on Children. LACR, Venezuela. (12 months)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, opportunities

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work.

Provide technical and strategic advice to the Project team (UNICEF and contracted Consultants) with emphasis on guidance and comprehensive review of the developed outputs for the achievement of the following outcomes:

Outcome 1: Communities and their leaders have improved capacity to develop comprehensive risk assessments and define prioritized risk scenarios for contingency plans and preparedness actions, using multi-sectoral and specialized skills. 

The consultant will be responsible for the following activities according to each project deliverable:

Activities for Outcome 1.

• Advise, review and issue recommendations guiding the following processes.
• Postgraduate and diploma training in disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness and response.
• ToTs, course for trainers in schools and communities.
• Risk assessments in prioritized municipalities.
• Definition of prioritized risk scenarios in each municipality.
• Identification of short-term risk reduction actions.

In order to ensure project results, the consultancy will focus on the following outcomes:

Results Outcome one.

• Officials and community leaders have strengthened their capacities in disaster risk management and emergency preparedness and response, contributing with the revision and improvement of postgraduate courses in coordination with universities.
• Design of ToTs, including curriculum, resources and training materials to be implemented in the municipalities and parishes selected in the project.
• Revised and contextualized participatory risk assessments, relevant using the necessary technical tools and resources.
• Definition of revised and relevant prioritized risk scenarios.
• Identification of short-term risk reduction actions, implementation support and operationalization in the communities.

Outcome 2: Selected municipalities have established critical preparedness routes and validated coordination arrangements, as well as basic preparedness packages, including early warning mechanisms, evacuation protocols, adaptive and flexible spaces, and pre-positioning of essential non-consumable supplies to ensure continuity of essential social services.

The consultant will be responsible for the following activities according to each project deliverable:

Activities for Outcome 2.

• Evaluate current contingency plans and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Develop effective early warning systems tailored to local needs.
• Create and/or update evacuation protocols, ensuring that they are inclusive and accessible to all children.
• Train local authorities and relevant personnel in the implementation of these plans and protocols.
• Facilitate workshops and drills to test and adjust emergency plans.
• Collaborate with community organizations and schools to integrate emergency preparedness into their daily activities.
• Strengthen local governance by creating community emergency committees and training local leaders in risk management.
• Promote community participation through public consultations, community meetings and participatory activities to ensure social ownership of plans and processes.
• Develop strategies for the sustainability of plans and protocols, including the identification or local resources and the creation of partnerships with non-governmental organizations and the private sector.
• Advise trainers in emergency preparedness, providing tools and resources so that they can effectively train others.

In order to ensure project results, the consultancy will focus on the following outcomes:

Results Outcome 2.

• Contingency plans revised and improved.
• Early warning systems implemented and operational.
• Clear and accessible evacuation protocols.
• Staff trained and prepared to respond to emergencies.
• Increased awareness and preparedness in communities and schools.
• Community emergency committees established and operational.
• High community participation and involvement in preparedness and response processes.
• Sustainability strategies implemented and operational.

Working conditions

• The work will be performed remotely with a visit to Caracas – Venezuela, which will be scheduled according to the progress of the consultancy.
• Constant communication with Field Operations and the UNICEF Project team is required.
• Fluent communication and cordial working relationships with all counterparts and partners linked to the project are required.
• Travel expenses are the responsibility of the consultant/individual contractor and are included in the attached financial bid.

Responsibilities of the Consultant

• Deliver 100% of the expected deliverables on time and with the quality expected by UNICEF according to the work plan prepared with the advice of the Head of Field Operations.
• Use procedures that ensure the quality of the information presented and are framed within the indicators established by UNICEF.
• Attend follow-up meetings with UNICEF, counterparts and partners as appropriate.
• Maintain close communication and coordination with the Head of Field Operations and in coordination with the Project Management Team.
• Inform UNICEF in a timely manner in case of any situation that makes it difficult to comply with the proposed plan of activities.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in engineering, environment, geography, economics, international relations, social sciences, economics and other related fields with a master’s degree. *A first University Degree combined with 5 additional years of professional experience in areas of emergency management and/or disaster risk reduction. may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of 5 of relevant and proven professional experience in advising initiatives and projects in risk management, emergency preparedness and response, preferably with a focus on children at the regional level.
• Knowledge of early warning systems and evacuation protocols.
• Training and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in strengthening local governance and community participation.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) will be considered an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in Spanish is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian) or a local language is an asset.
• Attach to the application, a technical and economic proposal that includes the following activities and travel plan

 

Tasks/Milestone:	Deliverables	Timeline
Communities and their leaders have improved their capacity to develop comprehensive risk assessments and define priority risk scenarios for contingency plans and preparedness actions, using multi-sectoral and specialized skills.	P1. Report containing. Review report and recommendations of the postgraduate course and diploma course administered by UCV and UNEMSR. Content: Practical adjustment recommendations for: Extension Course (UVC) and Diploma Course on Risk Management in the Venezuelan Basic Education Subsystem (UNEM). Executive presentation on findings, changes (Plan or syllabus, methodological aspects, others), restructuring of contents and recommendations. Review of the revised and adjusted ToTs Training Manual and training materials. Content: Training manual for trainers, adjusted based on the material generated, throughout the UNEMSR Diploma (in the case of educational personnel) and UCV postgraduate course (for the rest of the project participants). Revision report and recommendations of the technical-methodological guidelines of the project.	(3 weeks after start of consultancy)
	P2 Guide for the formulation of project profiles or initiatives for local disaster risk reduction. Content: Document with general guidelines for the formulation of short-term project profiles (WASH, Education, Child Protection, Nutrition and Health) to reduce risks in communities in the risk scenario prioritized in each municipality.	(6 weeks after the start of the consultancy)
The selected municipalities have established critical preparedness routes and validated coordination arrangements, as well as basic preparedness packages, which include early warning mechanisms, evacuation protocols, adaptive and flexible spaces, and pre-positioning of essential non-consumable supplies to ensure the continuity of essential social services.	P3. Report containing: Compilation report with revised and improved contingency plans. Content: municipal contingency plans that respond to the risk identified in the municipality according to the scenario prioritized in the risk scenario identification phase. Document with general guidelines for the participatory construction of preparedness routes for the 5 prioritized municipalities.	(13 weeks after the start of the consultancy)
The selected municipalities have established critical preparedness routes and validated coordination arrangements, as well as basic preparedness packages, which include early warning mechanisms, evacuation protocols, adaptive and flexible spaces, and pre-positioning of essential non-consumable supplies to ensure the continuity of essential social services.	P4. Methodological guide for the installation of early warning systems: implemented and operational. Content: identification of potential low-cost warning systems to be implemented in the selected municipalities. Ensure that the design of early warning systems allows them to be operational and sustainable over time.	(22 weeks after start of consultancy)
	P5. Guide for the formulation of clear and accessible evacuation protocols. Content: evacuation manuals that provide clear instructions to the population including community communication guidelines, clear signage of safe space for the population. Schedule and protocols for periodic evacuation drills to ensure the effectiveness of the protocols.	(37 weeks after start of consultancy)
	P6. Final report with recommendations and lessons learned.	(52 weeks after start of consultancy)

 

Travel Plan

 

 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.